MEDIA
RELEASE
SA
LIBRARY WEEK 2017 – THEME: "MY LIBRARY, YOUR
LIBRARY”
South African Library Week, which is celebrated annually under the guidance
of LIASA, the Library and Information Association of South Africa, will take
place from 20-24 March this year. Library Week celebrates the founding principles of libraries, that they
be the repositories of knowledge for future generations while at the same time
making that knowledge accessible to all who need it.
The week highlights the role that libraries play in a democratic society,
advancing literacy and making the basic human right of freedom of access to
information a reality. During this period LIASA aims to make all South Africans
aware that libraries contribute to nation - building and improving the quality
of life of all who use them.
Stakeholders
throughout South Africa will promote library and information services with the
theme: "My Library, Your Library".
This theme was chosen by LIASA with the Government focus on encouraging
South African to develop a sense of ownership, pride, and affiliation of
community libraries. Community libraries have been targeted as a platform
to drive youth employment. While libraries cannot create jobs, they do
however contribute to this initiative by developing the nation by, for example,
devising programs that focus on skills development, providing access to
information that allows the user to develop him/herself and granting access to
computers and online tools, enabling users to develop their computer skills as
well as providing tools that allow them to draw up CVs.
In
the NMBM, Library Week will be celebrated at all 24 public libraries with
special events for library users such as Book launches at Khayamandi Community
Hall in Despatch on 22 March 2017. Other notable programmes for the week
include Library Awareness Campaign Programmes taking place at the Kwadwesi
Library on 22 March and on 23 March at Newton Park Library; with Minilib
programme facilitated by South African Library for the Blind which will be held
at New Brighton Library on the 22 March 2017. The full programme for the Week
is available at all libraries and on the NMBM website.
The
Library Week Programme will encompass
reading and writing activities which promote the utilisation of community libraries. The NMBM Library Service through its
commitment to empowering its community will conduct a series of events leading
up to September, when the principal event will take place during National Book
Week. The NBW programme will place
emphasis on South African Literature and authors through programmes such as
workshops and book discussion sessions in libraries, as well as a metro wide
promotion of the reading of South African books. The annual Library Reading Challenge for
children will also be incorporated into these events.
The staff and management of the metro libraries invite
you to join them in this celebration of our country’s intellectual and literary
heritage; ‘My Library, Your Library”.
ENDS